Police are searching for at least one suspect in a dramatic armed-robbery attempt at a Laurentian Bank in Ile Bizard early Monday morning.
Armed guards fired at a man who attempted to rob them at gunpoint as they were transferring money at the branch on Jacques-Bizard Blvd.
The guards had just arrived at the bank with a shipment of cash when a man holding a firearm approached them.
The guards fired at the man, who ran off, jumped into a car, and fled, explained Montreal police spokesperson Manuel Couture.
Police rushed to the scene to inspect the area for clues, but found no sign the would-be robber had been hit.
The two guards were treated for shock.
Meantime, at least one suspect is at large.
“Right now we're searching for a white male,” said Couture. “We don't have much information because he was wearing a scarf.”
There may also be a second suspect driving a getaway car, he added.
Police are hoping security cameras at the bank and businesses nearby can give them a clear snapshot, but so far, there are few clues as the investigation continues.
There was no official comment from security company Garda Monday due to the ongoing investigation, but the union representing workers had plenty to say.
This is the eighth attempted robbery in 18 months, it said, adding that it fears the next time will not be a close call.
Fellow security guards said the armoured truck company needs to do a better job protecting them.
For years, Garda employed three-person crews overnight, but two years ago, they began to work in pairs.
The union says the number of attempted robberies shot up after that, including last January, when two guards were ambushed and tied up.
Garda maintains two-person crews can do the job just fine, but the union calls it a matter of public safety.
The union is calling on Public Security Minister Lise Theriault to pass a law making three-man crews mandatory, but admits it's gotten nowhere so far.
